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The pictures were posted by the parts firm ETrade Supply and the shell is very similar to what is found on the iPhone 5. However, there are some differences with the screw hole arrangements for attaching the logic board.

The holes on the shell thought to be for the iPhone 5S seem to be spread out more evenly, while the screw holes on the iPhone 5 have two scrunched at the bottom with the other pushed up towards the top.

There also are other small differences with the rear shells with both of these components, which points to slight redesign by Apple, who should be releasing the successor to the iPhone 5 sometime next year.

The new shell's exterior is exactly the same as the iPhone 5.

The true origin of these photos is still unknown, so it is safe to say that this rear shell might just be a part from an iPhone design that was discarded in favor of something else. It could also be a part from a fake, but judging from the look of it, the quality is too low for that assumption to be correct, according to MacRumors.

The iPhone 5S release date will be set for the middle of 2013, according to another report.

DigiTimes recently stated that Apple plans to introduce its next generation iPad and iPhone around the middle of next year.

The report also states that the release of the next iPhone will boost demand for ICs communications related chips during the latter half of the first quarter. Component orders from Apple are expected to rise again between March and April, according to industry insiders.

However, this claim seems a bit off, since Apple normally introduces new iPhones in either the fall or the summer and the iPad 4th generation was unveiled and launched already.